VOLVO's new XC60's has an ace up its sleeve - anti-collision technology that brings the car to a complete halt.

Several manufacturers, including Honda, have launched cars with similar systems but they, until now, have abided by a gentleman"s agreement not to rob the driver completely of the responsibility to stop the vehicle.

It is ironic that, possibly, the most' gentlemanly' car manufacturer has now ridden rough-shod over this accord (no pun intended) and produced a system that could be a life-saver for many a stressed and harried young parent.

A front-facing laser beam picks up a car in front and, at speeds below 9mph, will brake the XC60 right down to a stop if the system cannot detect any avoiding action by the driver.

It means rear-end crunches at roundabouts - where you're looking for oncoming traffic and expecting the car in front to drive away but doesn't - could be a thing of the past. At speeds up to 19mph the XC's brakes apply enough force to reduce the speed of impact as much as 50 per cent to minimise the risk of damage and injury.

The XC60 is squarely aimed at the remaining few upwardly-mobile but harassed young professionals who will weather the credit crunch.

If I do have one gripe, Volvo could find the name becomes a burden that the car has to live with for the rest of its production life.

Because here is a 4x4 that, though aiming at the cross-over market for urban and rural dwellers alike, is nonetheless a full-on Sports Utility Car which is just a bit smaller than the range-topping XC90.

By calling it the XC60, Volvo have the 'problem' of an XC model range that starts with an SUV, moves up to the superb estate-based XC70 and then finishes with a SUV again. Executives admit that the factory thought long and hard whether the car should be called the XC80.

But, starting at just £24,750 for the base model, you would then have a range that started with the more expensive estate car.

Name apart, there's not a lot to find fault with the latest city-focused 4x4 apart from the questionable waste of powering all the wheels when you never go off road so that I saw an average fuel consumption of no more than 30mpg in moderate driving.

Although all the XC60 diesels rate under 200g/kms of CO2 and Volvo will be launching a more economical two-wheel drive version later next year.

In other departments, the XC60 is right up there with the best of the competition especially with Volvo"s famed design and build quality that makes life in the cabin airy, easy and elegant.

The interior, as you would expect from this type of vehicle, is totally flexible with storage capacity from a standard boot space of 495 litres rising by nearly another 1,000 litres with the seats folded back.

I drove the entry level 2.4-litre diesel with 163 brake horsepower and around 250ft-lbs of torque pulling power that gives a lively turn of pace on the open road.

Yet, with a hefty 1.8 tonnes to haul about, the car does feel its weight on fast bends although, to be frank, it is not the sort of motor you'll want to travel too briskly with.

But the XC60's real sales pitch will be for people who really can"t trust themselves to concentrate enough in urban environments and, if that's you, this Volvo has your name on it!